According to statistics released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA), 3,477 people were killed in accidents caused by distracted driving in 2015 alone. The numbers are significant and tragic, indicating a larger social issue that is often treated lightly by many people. At this point, it is almost unheard of for an individual of legal driving age to not have a mobile phone on them at all times, and the modern conveniences of dashboard consoles and navigation devices inside the vehicle also can create serious distractions for drivers of all ages.

In addition to devices in the vehicle, drivers are often consumed with other activities that can impair their ability to see dangers, take evasive action, or simply follow the posted rules of the road. These activities include eating, drinking beverages, putting on makeup, chatting with passengers, and a whole host of other actions that may prevent them from focusing on operating the vehicle in a safe and responsible manner.

According to the NHTSA, the definition of distracted driving is: “any activity that diverts attention from driving, including talking or texting on your phone, eating and drinking, talking to people in your vehicle, fiddling with the stereo, entertainment or navigation system—anything that takes your attention away from the task of safe driving.” Of all distractions, it is easy to believe that texting while driving is the most dangerous of all because the driver’s attention is typically completely diverted to the task of reading and responding to text messages. It takes five full seconds (on average) to send or read a text, which, at a speed of 55 miles per hour, will allow the vehicle to travel the length of a professional football field without having your eyes on the road.

While the tragic number of deaths is a sobering enough statistic, that number does not even take into account the number of injuries that occur due to distracted drivers. According to the NHTSA study, another 391,000 people suffered serious injuries in 2015, all directly related to distracted driving. These figures are far too high (even one death caused by distracted driving is one death too many), and action must be taken to stop this devastating loss of life and serious injury.

Recently, states have started focusing on the dangers of distracted drivers and have focused public safety initiatives aimed at educating the public and putting punishment in place for drivers who are spotted driving while focusing on other activities in the vehicle. Sometimes, these punishments aren’t enough, and if an individual is seriously hurt in an accident caused by a distracted driver, they may be able to take legal action against the responsible party. I found this personal injury firm in Houston that has a track record of representing injured individuals. Law firms like this and others across the nation will often help people who have been hurt in an accident hold the responsible party accountable through civil actions called torts.

According to American Motorcyclist, there is no overall best motorcycle. When searching for your ideal bike, you must first figure out what you intend to use it for. Someone that enjoys easy riding will need a different bike than someone who wants to go hog wild. Here are some recommendations for you to make an informed decision about which motorcycle is right for you.

A standard is a bike for those that want to do a little bit of everything. These motorcycles make you feel more comfortable and like you have a better sense of control of the bike. Their tip-overs tend to also be less costly. For new riders, be wary of some of the larger standards. They can exceed 100 horsepower, which can sometimes be a lot for an inexperienced rider to handle.

If you want a motorcycle with speed, a sport-bike is right for you. They are usually lighter than other types of motorcycles, making them easier to transport. However, because these bikes are built for speed, their insurance runs higher.

Cruiser bikes are great for people who want a relaxed, smooth ride. These models have low seats and a low center of gravity. Although this is a preference for many people, for new riders the positioning may create some awkwardness at first.

If you want to road trip with your motorcycle, a tourer is your kind of bike. Tourers are comfortable and are made to combat the weather. They also come with integrated luggage to store your belongings in. Tourers are, however, more expensive, but for those that see their distinctive qualities as necessities they are worth the price tag.

Although riding motorcycles is a fun and popular hobby, it is not without risk. A personal injury attorney in Louisville can explain that since motorcyclists have very little to protect them in accidents, their injuries tend to be worse than those involved in regular car accidents,

Child safety is one of the paramount concerns of parents, which is why most would make considerable effort to ensure that the products they buy for their children are safe. This includes their food, clothes, shoes, beds, strollers, and car seats. Most would pay a premium to buy brands that have a reputation for strict safety standards. As pointed out on the Habush Habush & Rottier S.C. ® website, however, it doesn’t matter what brand your car seat is; if the manufacturer fails to properly test their products before selling them, your child is in danger. As it is turning out, one of these is Graco.

Graco is perhaps one of the more recognizable brands of child car seats and other baby products, with an income of $1.1 billion reported for 2013. The Atlanta-based company was founded in 1942 and was acquired by Rubbermaid in 1996.

In 2010, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced that Graco was voluntarily recalling some of their most popular models of strollers and car seats because they had a high risk of laceration and fingertip amputation. More recently, Graco again issued a recall for more than 3 million of their harnessed booster and toddler convertible car seats manufactured between 2009 and 2013 for a defective buckle that could be difficult to unlatch in an emergency. Graco claims that no injuries caused by the defective party had been reported.

This claim may be true or not, but as one parent put it, children have been in a constant state of danger for years because the company knew about the defect but failed to warn them about it until recently. Events may also unfold that would reveal that some preventable child injuries and deaths in the past may have been due to these defective car seats.

If you suspect that your child was injured because of a defective car seat or other untested product meant for children, you could be right. Consult with an experienced defective car seat lawyer in your area to discuss your case.

When you have been in a car accident, it is important to determine the one who caused the accident. Establishing who caused the accident would make filing for an insurance claim or a personal injury claim easier and smoother. If you were the victim or a careless or reckless action on another motorist, you have the right to file for an insurance or injury claim. However, what may complicate the claims would be the different laws and regulations the each state in the US has regarding car accidents and injury claims.

Being a victim who will file an insurance or injury claim, it is important to know how these different state laws will affect the case and possible settlement or compensation that would be given. In the state of Michigan, for example, a Detroit personal injury lawyer would inform you that you have three years to file a case against the person at-fault for the accident. This statute of limitations generally begins on the day of the accident, and exceptions such as not fully “discovering” any injuries until after the accident would alter the start of the statute of limitations. Additionally, Michigan follows the Comparative Negligence rule, which indicate that any compensation you will receive will be influenced or eventually reduced by the percent of liability you may have to the accident. Your compensation may be reduced depending on the amount of fault for the injuries, and even have a chance of being eliminated if the fault is determined to be more than 50 percent.

The comparative negligence rule is also applied in the state of Texas, and because this is required to be applied in personal injury claims, many insurance adjusters tend to use this argument in court. The difference between the state of Michigan and Texas when it comes to injury laws is that in Texas, you only have two years to file for an insurance or injury claim following an accident. Because this statute of limitation sets the time restraints of filing for a personal injury claim, immediately contacting a Houston personal injury lawyer to help you set up the case would ensure that your chances for compensation will not be lost. Furthermore, there are limits or caps on the amount of compensation you can be given, as well as the amount of settlement. This is another reason why contacting a lawyer who knows the state laws in your area is important before actually filing a personal injury claim.